Saudi plans Jeddah projects after floods, protests

JEDDAH, Feb 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia vowed to improve
infrastructure in the second-largest city Jeddah after floods
swept through the major port and killed 10 people, triggering
rare protests among residents complaining of neglect.

Last Friday, authorities detained dozens of residents
protesting against poor infrastructure in a country that has
billions to spend on infrastructure as the world's largest oil
exporter.

According to official figures, floods damaged more than 90
percent of Jeddah's roads and some 27,000 buildings last week,
adding to woes of residents who have long complained about the
lack of sewage in a city of four million.

King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz, who is recuperating in Morocco
after undergoing medical treatment in New York, set up a
committee to hire foreign firms to improve the infrastructure to
avoid future floods, state news agency SPA said late on Tuesday.

The kingdom has no elected parliament and does not tolerate
public protests.
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